The invention relates to an apparatus and method for dispensing solid substances, in particular pills, tablets or capsules, in particular for medical use.
WO 2014/081286 A1 discloses a device for dispensing and packing solid substances comprising a series of feeder units arranged for selectively discharging an amount of solid substances from one or more feeder units for packing. Said device comprises a holding device provided with an array of feeder positions arranged adjacently in a plane, a collection frame arranged below the holding device comprising a series of collection trays for capturing discharged solid substances from said feeder units and each collection tray comprises an output opening, and a packing unit arranged below the collection frame for collecting the captured solid substances from the output opening of a tray and packing said solid substances. The collection frame and the holding device are movable with respect to each other. The solid substances generate pollutants, such as dust, in the collection trays. Pollutants from a previous discharge of solid substances may contaminate the next discharge of solid substances and can be hazardous for the operator of the device.
WO 2014/081286 A1 suggests to provide the collection frame and/or the packing unit with a vacuum device in order to prevent the accumulation inside the trays and/or packing unit, yet remains silent about the technical implementation of such a vacuum device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,818,947 B2 discloses an automatic medicine packing machine with a plurality of cassettes arranged in an upper portion of a body to receive medicines in various sizes and shapes and a hopper assembly arranged in a lower portion of the body to collect medicines discharged from the cassettes. The hopper assembly consists of an upper hopper and a lower hopper that is movably coupled to the upper hopper. The medicine packing machine further comprises a hopper cleaning device with a vacuum pump and a connection pipe for connecting the vacuum pump to the lower hopper for sucking dust generated from the hopper assembly during the medicine packaging process. The lower hopper is provided with a suction hole formed in a sidewall thereof to suck dust and a suction chamber formed around the suction hole. A mesh member is provided in the suction chamber to allow dust to pass there through.
The hopper cleaning device may effectively suck dust from the hopper assembly. However, the suction influences the falling trajectory of the medicines through the hopper. In particular very light-weight medicines, which weigh only a few milligrams, are sucked towards the meshing and occasionally even retained to said meshing. The retained medicines are eventually dispensed from the hopper with a subsequent dose of medicines, which is potentially life-threatening for the patient.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for dispensing solid substances, wherein one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks can be reduced.